TEAM HERALD
PANJIM: The Goenchea Ramponkaranchea Ekvott, National Fishworkers Forum (NFF) at a meeting with the Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar demanded preferential access to small and traditional fishermen for sustainable exploitation of the available fish stock. They also wanted a total ban on destructive fishing gears like bottom trawling and purse seining; regulate the larger fishing vessels and ban foreign fishing vessels in Indian Exclusive economic Zone (EEZ).
Fisheries Minister Avertano Furtado and Forest and Environment Minister Alina Saldanha were also present for the meeting.
Joint General Secretary of GRE and Secretary Olencio Simoes of NFF said that leaders of National fishworkers and Goenchea Ramponkaranchea Ekvott submitted a memorandum and discussed fisheries issues.
They said that the chief minister promised to recognize the importance of the issues and promised to look into those issues. He also assured the leaders of the NFF and GRE that he would arrange a meeting with the prime minister to discuss and decide on the issues of national importance. The leaders of the organization reminded him of the BJP National Policy on Fishing and Fishermen and urged upon him to see that the same is implemented.
The main demands of National Fishworkers’ Forum were enactment of Fishers’ Rights Act to ensure fishers’ right to livelihood and habitat; enactment of a Central Marine Fishing Regulation Act to ensure regulation of fishing in the Indian EEZ with a view to match fishing effort to available stock of fish; putting in place a community based monitoring and implementation regime; putting up a comprehensive Coastal Regulation Zone Act to effectively stop abuses on coastal land and waters; want special attention to the Rights of Women Fish Workers who fish, sort, dry and vend; ensure fishing rights to the fishers affected by Marine and Coastal Protected Areas (MCPAs), ratification of ILO Convention on Work in Fishing and extension of benefits to all fish-workers; and a three months’ uniform ban on fishing separately for East and West coast with a provision for livelihood support to all affected small and traditional fishers at the MGNREGS rate.
The memorandum on demands of fishing communities alleges that bull trawlers and other large mechanized boats with or without fish finding devices are taking away almost all the stock of fish from our waters which has a devastating impact on the livelihood of the traditional fishermen. “We demand immediate stoppage to this looting of our marine resources by restricting these destructive fishing; a 90 days’ fishing ban in territorial waters and EEZ; want three representatives of GRE be immediately included in the District CRZ Committees,” says the memorandum.
